Book Review: Jenny Lawson's Broken (in the best possible way)

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company for providing me with a copy of Jenny Lawson’s essay collection, Broken ( in the best possible way), in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge fan of Jenny Lawson. She's hilarious. I often find myself in the awkward position of “snorting with laughter” while reading Lawson’s writing, which usually happens in public, but not this year, Thank you, pandemic! Broken ( in the best possible way) was no exception, however, many essays in this collection took a serious look at mental and physical health issues.

Lawson is candid about her health struggles, including a look at a relatively new therapy option to combat severe depression, which involved Lawson wearing a special head device that doled out repeated mini-punches to areas of her brain in efforts to stimulate them. The results of the therapy were not perfect, but they did pull Lawson out of a long-lasting depression, and gave her the ability to enjoy aspects of her life again, including a family vacation to Europe.

I’ve never struggled with depression, but I know many people who have, including both of my parents (my father died from suicide and my mom struggled in the aftermath.) After reading Broken ( in the best possible way) I finally have a small idea of how depression impacted their lives. It not only gave me a better sense of understanding, but also more compassion. Lawson’s revelations have allowed me the opportunity to rethink and reframe certain aspects of my childhood. I did not pick up Broken ( in the best possible away) expecting such an impactful reading experience, but I appreciate it.

I’m also happy to report that Lawson’s unique outlook and brand of humor is still present throughout this collection. I got the biggest kick out of all of the animal names.

The next time I cook chicken, I will surely be reminded of Lawson’s rural Texas high school making the kids process chickens if they want to attend prom. As a city kid, I found this horrifying. I stopped reading to share this tidbit with my step kids who are visiting us from Sweden. They were equally shocked. I also have realized that I am the type of functioning introvert that Lawson finds the most troubling! Make sure to check out Lawson’s social media at “thebloggess” for more of her quirkiness and humor.

Local Honey | Midwest: Miracle Whip

I’m delighted to announce that my essay “Miracle Whip” has just been published in Local Honey | Midwest. Last summer, I responded to a submission call from Local Honey | Midwest requesting pandemic inspired essays. Local Honey | Midwest is an online literary magazine for midwest writers. I’m not from the midwest, but my mom was born in Rochester, Minnesota, and my essay is partially about my grieving her death, so I guess I snuck in by association!

Just to add legitimacy, here is a picture of my grandfather and mom in Rochester back in the late 1930’s.

My essay details the difficulty I had with the sense of taste after my mom’s death, specifically how I could not manage to recreate the way she cooked. I write about how the shuttering of the buffet-style restaurant, Souplantation, triggered similar feelings of grief.

I talk a bit about the controversial condiment “Miracle Whip,” which was a staple in mom’s cooking. I realize that Miracle Whip is on par with the “Does pineapple belong on pizza debate” (for the record, a resounding yes- it’s delicious.) Yet, I hope that wherever your opinions on Miracle Whip or pineapple on pizza fall, you’ll give my essay a read. Thank you!

Book Review: Donna Florio's Growing up Bank Street

Thank you to NYU Press for providing me with a copy of Donna Florio’s memoir, Growing up Bank Street, in exchange for an honest review.

In the mid-1950’s, Donna Florio’s theatrical, opera singing parents moved into a small apartment on Bank Street in New York City. Shortly after, Florio was born, and spent her childhood performing opera and navigating her diverse neighborhood.

In Growing up Bank Street Florio details the colorful characters who have lived in her neighborhood. Her exploration goes back to the turn of the century with the early families of Bank Street continuing to the present day. Florio herself spent her entire childhood on Bank Street, and after spending years abroad, returned to live in her neighborhood as an adult. Bank Street has been home to people of all economic walks of life, from street vendors and factory workers, to John Lennon and disgraced movie mogul, Harvey Weinstein. Florio was babysat by the real-life Auntie Mame, and was neighbors with the girlfriend of punk rocker Sid Vicious. Florio was even a neighbor interviewed by the press, making headline news, when Vicious overdosed in their building.

Celebrity aside, Florio spends much of her memoir talking about the normal neighbors on Bank Street who lived extraordinary lives. One of the most memorable was a friend who fearlessly helped other during the early days of the Aids crisis, a time when how the virus was transmitted was still unknown. Florio admits that his actions gave her courage to reach out to friends who were dying. Their neighborhood had always been welcoming towards the gay community, and the Aids epidemic hit Bank Street particularly hard.

Bank Street could be a rough and dangerous neighborhood, but I also took away the feeling that it was populated with neighbors who looked after each other. Later, when she was an adult, Florio learned that the seemingly well-timed intrusions from her neighbors, were actually planned to rescue Florio from her parent’s intense fighting. The neighbors could hear the arguments through the thin walls, and they would make an excuse to take Florio to their house, yet do it in a way that as a child, Florio did not realize the true reason and her parents were allowed to escape embarrassment. Growing up Bank Street is filled with examples of community pride, kindness, and neighbors helping neighbors. In some small way, it reminded me of my own childhood townhouse complex.

If you love New York, quirky characters, and fascinating history, you should definitely add Growing up Bank Street to your TBR list.